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UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA–LINCOLN COJMC ALUMNI MAGAZINE SUMMER 2008 DOCUMENTARY EARNS RFK AWARD Page 4 NOTEB OOK Rob Logan Independent Web sites 2; mass media 1 Traditional media are missing out on the full potential of the Internet “It’s not the container — it’s the content,” Jim Kennedy told a national jour- I work at a federal government agency (the U.S. National Library of nalism conference in remarks reported in the winter J News. Medicine-NLM) that made health and medical information searchable Kennedy, AP’s vice president for news, is partially right. Clear writing, and understandable for anyone with Internet access. MedlinePlus.gov, impartial reporting, accuracy, fair play, providing context, enterprise and NLM’s primary consumer health informatics resource, began in the late succinct editing are as vital to journalism’s future as they have been to its 1990s. Today, there are similar consumer health information resources on past. the Internet, including commercial services like WebMd.com. However, Kennedy’s remarks suggest a misunderstanding of the MedlinePlus.gov was started partly because the Internet made Internet’s distinctiveness and its public impact. The news media’s impor- direct-to-public communication and knowledge integration logistically tance as the public’s primary information resource is in jeopardy because and financially feasible for the first time. news organizations have not understood how the Internet as a mass In a national survey, the National Cancer Institute reported last year medium is changing public expectations. Newsrooms also seem reluctant the public’s primary source of information about health and medicine is to optimize the Internet’s possibilities. now Internet-based providers of health and As Harold Adams Innis and Marshall information — not news organizations. McLuhan explained a generation ago, a new Although the news media remain the primary “container” (a new medium of mass communi- resource to report health and medical develop- cation — currently the Internet) becomes a cul- ments, the press apparently is no longer the pri- turally potent message regardless of the con- mary resource consumers use to be conversant tent it carries. Any new mass communication about health and medicine. The latter was the medium impacts culture, alters public expecta- an premise of Jim Hartz and Rick Chappell’s book tions and changes how people evaluate the about improving science and medical journal- importance of new versus conventional ways ism published only a decade ago. to convey information. The American Customer Satisfaction Simply put, the Internet’s form and func- Index, an independent, panel-based survey of tion provide a different experience than do tel- consumer attitudes about Web sites, also sug- evision, radio, newspapers, magazines or o courtesy Robertges Log ts comprehensive resources of health and books. While news executives initially thought medical information like Medline-Plus.gov are the Internet’s distinctive characteristic was to Phot rated significantly higher in a broad measure provide synergy among print, video and audio, LOGAN of consumer satisfaction than the Internet sites a good Web site’s most important attribute provided by news organizations. may be its knowledge base. Robert Logan, Ph.D., is on the senior staff of the So, in less than a decade — by default — For a user, the Internet is the first mass U.S. National Library of Medicine and is a pro- news organizations lost part of their authority communication medium in history that pro- fessor emeritus at the University of Missouri- as a primary resource in one knowledge vides a potentially seamless integration from Columbia School of Journalism. He was previ- domain: health and medicine. the core topic in a news story to broader knowl- ously a science writer and news editor at several There are countertrends: nytimes.com edge about the subject. The Internet enables newspapers in the Midwest and was head of the now provides background health and medical any topic to be linked inexpensively to extant news-editorial sequence and an affiliate profes- information and appropriate links within the knowledge — and the availability of the whole sor of medicine at the University of South Florida. paper’s daily news coverage — and I’m a grate- (the complete package) becomes more impor- ful user of these services. News organizations tant that the sum of its parts. have abundant opportunities to integrate knowledge with daily reporting, The Internet is transformative because, for the first time in history, and journalists are ideally suited to do both tasks. information availability and accessibility does not directly hinge on geog- Nevertheless, I remain surprised how few news organizations take raphy, proximity to experts and libraries, prior education and extensive advantage of the Internet’s attributes to help readers, listeners and view- knowledge about locating stored sources. While a digital divide persists, ers better understand their surroundings and even some of the signature it is far easier for persons to find Web access than move next to a world- developments of our time. For example, one reason NLM’s Genetics Home class library or university, return to school or befriend an expert. Hence, Reference (http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov) was developed was to fill a void; few as Mohan Dutta (Purdue) explains, the public’s expectation of a good institutions explained the implications of the DNA revolution. information Internet Web site is its “completeness.” Again by default, most of the press is missing an opportunity to voice Time and space constraints previously made it commercially and one of the few developments in the late 20th and early 21st century that physically impractical for a newsroom to function as a public information probably will be celebrated in the 30th. While most major news organiza- resource. “We do news, not encyclopedias,” a veteran news editor told me tions prominently report health and medical news on their Web sites, few recently. But a combined resource is now possible because the Internet link readers to the array of background information about each topic a has no space constraints, and time demands are fluid. story raises. Most do not even bother to link from the news story to the Further, by not recognizing the Internet’s potential and providing original source of information — even when it originates from an open mostly current and archived news coverage on their Web sites, the news source. media let other institutions develop a more comprehensive container for My point here is not to gloat; it saddens me to hear about the decline the public. In the process, the news media seem to be losing a prized of revenues, credibility, clout and size of news organizations. Still, it would asset: the perception that they are the primary resource to increase pub- serve the news media well to optimize their use of the Internet and under- lic awareness of the surrounding world. stand that in the long run the medium may be as vital as its messages. I 12 SUMMER 2008 J ALMNI NEWS 33 COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA–LINCOLN SUMMER 2008 AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS THE ISSUE COVER: 40 From the dean: S tudent documen- Justin Peterson and Rachel tary wins RFK journalism award Anderson represented the 80 Spreading the word: Common Nebraska team that was awarded the Robert F. Cause seeks converts in Midwest Kennedy Memorial Journalism 10 Commencement message: Retired Award in Washington, D.C. OW-H CEO speaks to students Other student members were 11 Journalism contest: Freshmen place Megan Carrick and Chris first, second in NPA contest Welch. 12 Nebraska Super Advantage: LB 895 focuses on higher-paying jobs AT RIGHT: 14 Meet Michelle Hassler: The German depth-report N ew assis- documentary, “Breaking Down tant to the dean thrives in her role Barriers,” won in the college 15 IT guru: Luther Hinrichs wins UNL broadcast category. The award Kudos award was presented by Ethel 18 NEH grant: Nebraska newspapers Kennedy on May 27. will be digitized PHOTOS BY BARNEY MCCOY 21 UNL Women’s Week: J school stu- dent’s mom is featured speaker 24 Media change: Conference focuses on media survival strategies The Rewrite Man: Charles Overby 26 ALUMNIf y i had a plan to increase circulation, build a new Send us your news to: [email protected] Newseum in the nation’s capitol. Page 5 NOTEBOOK Senior reception 20 Web vs. mass media: The mass Journalism alumni advisory media are missing out on the full board’s signature event. Page 22 potential of the Internet JNews &NOTES 52 Faculty Notes 54 Alumni Notes 58 Student Honors 61 Student profile FROM LEFT: Dick & Margaret Holman and NU 62 Depth report examines ethanol Foundation liaison Steve Hill 64 Ad class studies interactive media Holman Plaza is dedicated April 11 65 Real-world journalism experience New setting provides place for faculty, stu- 66 Peer-to-peer marketing campaign dents to interact with each other. Page 16 68 A look back at UNL’s milestones JALUMNI NEWS IS A BIANNUAL PUBLICATION OF THE COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS AT UNL IN COOPERATION WITH THE COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM ALUMNI ASSOCIATION – DEAN Will Norton Jr. EDITOR Charlyne Berens ART DIRECTOR Marilyn Hahn PHOTOGRAPHERS Bruce Thorson – Luis Peon-Casanova – Teresa Prince – JOURNALISM ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS – PRESIDENT Ashley Washburn – NATIONAL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE Thom Kastrup – BOARD MEMBERS Jeff Carney, Terri Diffenderfer, Rhonda Gerrard, Barry Kriha, Monte Olson, Tracy Overstreet,

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